Hopeful for more troops, US scouts basing options in Germany

[nitpicker]

http://www.dw.com/en/hopeful-for-more-troops-us-scouts-basing-options-in-germany/a-37871968

Hopeful for more troops, US scouts basing options in Germany

The number of US troops in Germany has steadily declined in the decades folllowing the Cold War. New interest in old military bases in Lower Saxony suggests that trend might change. The US Army is scouting new basing options in northern Germany, a sign that concerns over Russia and new funding under the Trump administration could bring more American troops to Europe.

The US Army has scouted two sites in northern Germany for potentially basing new American troops in Europe, according to its command in Wiesbaden. Survey teams recently visited facilities at Bad Fallingbostel and Bergen, two longtime military communities in Lower Saxony that border a large NATO training area. Local news reports placed the number of potential soldiers at 4,000—roughly the size of a combat brigade.

US Army Europe, the command responsible for American soldiers on the continent, released a statement saying the surveys were meant to provide options should the American and German governments approve a force increase in the future. "At this time no decisions have been made; we are engaged in prudent planning only," the statement said.
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Citing concerns over Russia, American commanders have recently pushed to increase the number of permanently stationed forces in Europe. Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, commander of all American forces in Europe, told Congress last year that he believed a heavy armor brigade should be stationed on the continent.

Two American brigades are permanently stationed in Europe at the moment—a mechanized infantry unit based in southern Germany and an airborne infantry brigade with units in Italy and Germany. Four brigades were stationed in Europe as recently as five years ago, before two were removed as part of US shift in focus to Asia.
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